After spending 10 years working in the Music Industry, I have been working at YYZ, Pearson International Airport, Toronto. Being a frequent traveler before I always found it difficult and sometimes frustrating to fly. So, here is the A+B=Ease of YYZ.... if you care to know, perhaps it will be helpful.

Wednesday

U.S.A bound? From YYZ

When traveling from the YYZ airport and heading to the U.S.A, it is called TRANSBORDER.

The first thing you need to know and be prepared for is this:

YOU CLEAR CUSTOMS BEFORE YOU TRAVEL.

So here is the run down.
1) do a web check-in
2) Print your boarding pass
3) Bring all your ID
4) YOU HAVE to know the full address of where you are staying your first night in the USA.
5) Get a blue customs form and fill it out while you wait in the luggage drop line
6)Once your luggage is tagged, you then head to the Customs Hall
7) You clear customs with all your belongings that you are traveling with
8) Once Customs clears you, you take your luggage and drop it off at the luggage belt.
9) you then head to security, and then to your gate.
10) Customs has a 1 HOUR CUT OFF TIME from your departure. (So if your flight is at 11am you have to be in customs hall by 10am) They need proper time to talk with you and inspect anything they feel inclined to. They do not care where or when you have to be somewhere, you are crossing the boarder and this is not any different then driving your car over.
11) If USA Customs detains you or has questions for you or send you to a secondary screening, this will make your journey longer.
12) SOOO BE THERE AS EARLY AS YOU CAN.
13) Airlines are not responsible for your history, previous encounters with the law, or travel habits and usually do not re-accommodate you if you miss your flight. Some will help you get to where you are going for a change fee.
14) If you get to a counter and they tell you that you have missed your cut-off time, this is CUSTOMS rule, not the airlines. Take if with a grain of salt and get cracking on rearranging your flight plans and accommodations.

Here is a link to the run-down:

http://torontopearson.com/Departing_to_usa.aspx#

Remember - being AT the Airport 3 hours early doesn't mean parking your car. It means you are checked-in, through the lines at the counters and at security.